ALDS Game Thread: Rangers @ Rays

It’s do or die time for The Team of Destiny™, the club that was turning triple plays and making miraculous comebacks in September just to qualify for the postseason. The Rangers lead the best-of-five series two games to one, and are sending Matt Harrison to the mound. The Rays counter with Jeremy Hellickson. First pitch is scheduled for 2:07pm ET and can be seen on TBS. Enjoy.

As much as we talk up the AL East both AL East clubs are on the ropes. Maybe the division isn’t as good as we think it is. I don’t expect the Rays to win today.

CUYanks

3 games is suuuuch a small sample to evaluate strength of a division.

pat

Yeah, totally.

mustang

I was thinking the same thing.

Max

The Rays better get the bats going – looks like Hellickson’s pixie dust is wearing off.

http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa

What a stupid send. Got lucky.

PhillyMatt

Viewing on gameday, a play at the plate? Thanks.

http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa

Yeah, Rodriguez ran over Napoli and knocked the ball loose.

CBean

Matt Moore relieving.

Kibbitty

Maddon is pulling out all the stops to win TODAY. Joey G could learn from this.

Tiny Tim

And this ballgame is over. Very impressive for Texas to go to the ALCS again despite losing Cliff Lee. Now if only we could get there too for revenge.

JWT

Rangers looking like they will get back to ALCS without Lee. Lee loses first post-season start with Phils. Just goes to show, there just aren’t any absolutes in the postseason.

Tiny Tim

And isn’t it telling how Lee does poorly in the postseason against every other ballclub but us? Even the weak hitting Giants and Cardinals were able to get to him. Us? CGSO.

tom

Every other ball club, unless you count the Rockies in ’09 (1 run surendered) or the Dodgers in ’09 (no runs surrendered).

Oh, and by the way, the second time the Yankees faced him that Series, he gave up 5 runs.

But, you know…make up your own “The Yankees suck the worst” narrative.

Tampa Yankee

Have a day Adrian!

PhillyMatt

Wow. Beltre going off. 3 solo homers.

JWT

Just a thought. Walk Beltre next time.

CBean

I told them that after the second HR. It’s what they get for not listening to me.

mustang

Cinderella is done!!!. A historical collapse, 4 and out losing two at home and a lost away from going home. Have to really rethink the big bad AL East.

AndrewYF

Nah. Still by far the best division in the sport.

mustang

Really not in the last 2 years of playoffs when it counts.

http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa

The Yankees won more games than they lost in the playoffs last year.

mustang

Read below

David N

You can’t really judge the best team in a short series (or even a set of short series) by the same standard that use to judge the best team in a long season.

Anything can happen in a short series. That doesn’t mean that the AL East isn’t a better division with better teams than any other division in baseball.

mustang

If the AL East can’t beat the teams in the playoffs short series or not then all they can do is beat up on the Royals of world. How does that make them the best?

David N

But they’re not just beating up on the Royals. They’re beating up on each other, on the rest of the league, etc.

The structure of the playoffs hides depth. You’re never going to need a fifth starter. You might not even need a solid fourth starter. If you need a deep bullpen, you’re in trouble. Those are all things that teams do need to be dominant over the course of a long season. And those are all areas where the Yankees have an advantage over the Tigers. But it doesn’t matter, because you’re not going to see those areas in a playoff series. Doesn’t mean they’re not there.

mustang

Regular season superiority doesn’t mean shit when you’re getting bummed of in the first round.

http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa

Tell that to the accounting department.

TomH

If the Yankees join the Rays tonight, again, on the outside looking in, then I think he’s got a point. The burden of the argument will fall on those who want to maintain that the AL East deserves its rep.

mustang

True, but I thought the object with a 200 million pay roll was to actually win championship.

The division can’t be that strong when the 3 best teams maybe not even make it to the 2nd round.

mustang

may not

http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa

You’re assuming that a best-of-five series is a better indication of which team is better than a 162-game season.

mustang

When your facing teams that have had enough success to make the playoffs then they bum you off then yes. The difference between Detroit and the Yankees in the regular season was just 2 games and right now facing elimination with AJ on mound those 2 games don’t mean shit.

mustang

No worries the Yankees are going to win this thing not only for themselves but to save the superiority of the AL EAST!

Kramerica Industries

Rays are now 0-5 the last two years at home against Texas.

That is Yankees-at-the-Metrodome type domination on the part of the Rangers. I’ll be glad to know that at least Rays fans can’t give me shit tomorrow if the Yankees ultimately lose tonight.

Assholes.

David N

A lot of the Rays fans are already off the bandwagon and enjoying the beach.